Can Disease Change Blood Type? What Science Really Says

Blood Type Basics: What Determines It?

Before we jump into whether disease can change your blood type, let’s quickly cover what blood type actually is.

Your blood type is defined by the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of your red blood cells. The most well-known systems are:

• ABO system (A, B, AB, or O)

• Rh factor (positive or negative)

These are genetically inherited. That means, unless something extremely unusual happens, your blood type stays the same for life.

But… is it really that fixed?

Can Illness or Disease Alter Blood Type?

Short answer: Technically no… but kind of yes?

Alright, here’s where things get interesting. Your genetic blood type doesn’t change. Your DNA remains the same, and so does the blueprint for your blood antigens.

BUT — in rare cases, certain diseases can mask, suppress, or mimic a change in blood type.

It’s like your blood is wearing a disguise — not actually switching types, but confusing the heck out of the lab results.

Diseases That May Affect Blood Type Expression

Leukemia and other blood cancers

Some forms of leukemia and other blood-related cancers can cause mutations in the stem cells that produce red blood cells. In rare cases, this may result in:

• Loss of ABO antigens

• Weak expression of blood group markers

There have been documented cases where someone with blood type A, for example, suddenly appears as type O in tests — not because the genes changed, but because the antigens stopped being produced properly.

Bone marrow transplants

This one’s actually wild. If a person with one blood type receives a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a different type, over time their blood type can change — for real.

Why? Because the bone marrow is now producing the donor’s red blood cells.

Example: A person with type B receives a transplant from someone with type A. Eventually, their blood will start expressing type A antigens. Boom — new blood type.

Okay, that’s technically not caused by “disease” but by treatment... still, worth noting.

Infections or severe illness

Certain infections (like HIV or sepsis) can mess with red blood cell production or trigger autoimmune responses. These may cause temporary anomalies in blood typing, especially if the immune system attacks or modifies red blood cells.

It’s rare, and usually not a true change — more like a glitch in the testing matrix.

Can Lab Errors or Conditions Misread Your Blood Type?

Totally. Sometimes the “change” is just bad testing. Reasons might include:

• Recent transfusion (you’ve got someone else’s blood mixed in)

• Low antigen levels due to illness or aging

• Technical errors in the lab process

So if someone suddenly appears to have a new blood type... maybe double-check before panicking.

Real Case Reports (Yes, This Has Happened)

There are documented medical cases — though extremely rare — where patients with leukemia or aplastic anemia temporarily “lost” their blood type or showed signs of another.

In one crazy example, a person had their blood type switch twice due to cancer treatment and relapse. Mind = blown.

But again: in these cases, the genetic blood type didn’t really change. The body just stopped expressing it normally.

Final Verdict: Can Disease Change Blood Type?

Not in the true genetic sense. But certain diseases and treatments can make it look like your blood type changed, or temporarily suppress your antigens enough to confuse tests.

So yeah, it’s weird — but not magic. If you’re ever told your blood type “changed,” chances are it’s due to:

• Medical treatment

• Bone marrow transplant

• Blood-related cancer

• Or simply a lab error

Always double-check with your doctor, especially if you’re planning on donating or receiving blood. Because in the world of medicine, your blood type really, really matters — and surprises aren’t welcome in the ER.

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